Polio SIAs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

This analysis estimates the potential additional operational cost of a house-to-house oral polio vaccine (OPV) supplemental immunization activity (SIA) held during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many mass immunization campaigns have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as countries gain a better understanding of local transmission of the COVID-19 virus and given the increased risk of morbidity and mortality resulting from the disruption of immunization services, countries are exploring options for their eventual implementation. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ThinkWell has estimated the added cost per dose of a number of potential operational changes due to COVID-19, specifically: additional infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, additional per diems due to potential changes in the duration of the vaccination campaign, and increases of other operational cost components (such as additional social mobilization and training). The analysis uses data from polio SIA budgets from seven countries (Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Mali, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan and Syria) to model each change at a low, medium, and high intensity level, as well as the combined effect on the cost per dose.

The results of this analysis suggest that the operational cost of house-to-house oral polio vaccine supplemental immunization activity could increase by up to 87% when additional IPC measures such as hand hygiene and personal protective equipment are implemented; up to 58% when accounting for additional per diems and incentives due to increased campaign length and; up to 77% when considering increases in other operational cost components due to COVID-related disruption. In combination, additional IPC measures, increases in HR costs, and increases in other cost components could increase the operational cost of campaigns by 26-30% in the low intensity and 81-171% in the high intensity scenario